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    Japanese

    • Started by Ronin
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    • Registered: 12-Apr-2007
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    12-Apr-2007 22:36:46#1 Japanese

    I recently decided to switch to the Colemak keyboard layout after a conversation with a friend of mine.  I downloaded the 'TypeFaster' program and am practicing this layout on that, but I had a question.  I also type in Japanese a lot, however I am not as good at the kana input method as I would like to be.  So I was wondering if anyone possibly knew of a program that was specifically designed for that, or if someone could help me figure out a way to make a layout and lessons for the TypeFaster program.

    Thanks~! :)

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    • Registered: 05-Oct-2006
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    12-Apr-2007 23:06:23#2 Re: Japanese

    Sorry, don't know much about japanese.

    http://sourceforge.net/projects/mecab/
    I noticed it had that Kana word that you're looking for...

    http://sourceforge.net/projects/hk-practice-jp/


    Sorry if that wasn't helpful.

    Good luck with switching!

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    13-Apr-2007 02:43:43#3 Re: Japanese

    I personally prefer using kana input, but if you wanted, you could change the Japanese IME keyboard from QWERTY to Colemak.

    My typing speed can be viewed at http://www.ryanheise.com/typing-test/re … den_Hammer

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    • From: Köln, Germany
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    18-Apr-2007 22:35:35#4 Re: Japanese

    Umm, how exactly do you change the IME though?? I tried to figure it out myself, but I didn't find a way to do that. (I have windows 2000)

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    19-Apr-2007 12:53:49#5 Re: Japanese

    Although I don't have Windows 2000, I think it should work on it as well. I explained the process here. If you still have questions, let me know.

    My typing speed can be viewed at http://www.ryanheise.com/typing-test/re … den_Hammer

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    19-Apr-2007 21:45:29#6 Re: Japanese

    The way explained in the guide doesn't work with windows 2000 and I don't want to mess with the registry, so I'll probably have to keep looking at the keyboard when typing in Japanese until I get my mac! xD

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    20-Apr-2007 01:59:09#7 Re: Japanese

    Ah, that's understandable. Well, there's always kana input.

    My typing speed can be viewed at http://www.ryanheise.com/typing-test/re … den_Hammer

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    20-Apr-2007 07:12:40#8 Re: Japanese

    Can't be bothered... If I know how to touch type properly in Colemak, I will be pretty fast at the rōmaji input and until I get my mac, which may still be awhile, I can practise my Colemak skills. Fistly, I think I shouldn't learn two layouts at the same time and secondly, the kana keyboard seems to be just a japanese variant of QWERTY, i.e. that all letters are placed in positions where they don't jam up the type bars.

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    06-May-2007 03:55:57#9 Re: Japanese
    Golden_Hammer said:

    I personally prefer using kana input, but if you wanted, you could change the Japanese IME keyboard from QWERTY to Colemak.

    That's the thing.  I am trying at getting faster at the kana input.  I don't like romaji.

    I'm looking for a typing program for the kana input.  Maybe I didn't make that clear enough in my first message.

    Last edited by Ronin (06-May-2007 03:57:21)
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    06-May-2007 23:32:59#10 Re: Japanese

    Ah, I misread what you wrote. I can't seem to find a typing program for kana as well.

    What really help me was transliterating lyrics from Japanese songs from romaji to kana. I would make sure to do at least one a day, but I would usually do two.

    I wouldn't say I'm super fast using kana, but I'm fast enough.

    At any rate, 頑張ってください ;)

    My typing speed can be viewed at http://www.ryanheise.com/typing-test/re … den_Hammer

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    • Registered: 09-May-2007
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    09-May-2007 17:00:45#11 Re: Japanese

    here are a few links for kana training
    http://www9.big.or.jp/~mshinoda/
    http://www.parara.com/type/index.htm


    Here are a few that are independent of layout
    http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/gangas2/download.html
    http://www.kentei.ne.jp/key/downroad.html
    http://www.vector.co.jp/soft/win95/edu/se236568.html

    As a user of an alternative layout, namely colemak, you may be interested to know that there are actually an extremly large number of alternate key layouts for Japenese input as well. Although qwerty romaji and JIS kana are the defacto layouts (a legacy of technologically poorer times and wapro machines), neither are actually very efficient for Japanese, unsurprisingly enough.

    Here is a big list: http://jisx6004.client.jp/layout.html
    try some out in your browser: http://kirinsystem.net/diary/?date=20060403#p01

    Personally, the romaji style layouts fit my style best, as they neither require 4 rows of keys nor excessive shifting, while often containing shortcuts for things such as ん, "sutegana" like ぁぇぃ, っ, as well as "youon" like きゃみょ
    Current front runners for me are Yatsugashira and Kyuuri-kai, both of the "yamato-narabe" style.

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